Fergus County argus., 1887-01-27
Is n FoR LOVE on Foe MONEY,

Among the uneasy men just at pres
ent are some OF our county officials
The question among them is whethe
they are working for love or for money
ana the answers are somewhat diverse
hence the uneasiness. The whole trou
bIe arises from the bungling and slip
shod manner in which much of tho
work OF the last legislature was done
leaving the compensation of the ofIi
GERS OF Fergus county in doubt, except
as to attorney, deputy clerk OF court
and clerk and recorder.
The case is as follows: the old law
provided that each officer should re-
tam, as compensation for his services.
all fees authorizedby law to be collect.
ed, except that the total amount was
limited in certain eases. The salary
law passed by the last legislature re-
pealed that portion of the old law, and
provided that all fees collected should
he paid into the county treasury as
public money, and fixed annual salar-
les for the officers OF all counties then
existing. On the question of compen-
sation the Fergus county bill says:
the clerk of the court shall be paid an
annual salary OF three hundred dollars,
and in addition thereto he entitled
to the fees prescribed i'm an 'act to
provide compensation for clerks OF
district COURTS" approved July 22nd,
1879. The county clerk and recorder
shall receive a salary OF six hundred |
dollars per annum. and shall also be
entitled to the fees prescribed by law
for recording deeds etc. As to the
of these two officers
there can hardly be any question. But
the law further says that ''the fees and
ofall officers of said coun-
~ shall be as prescribed by law, when
not otherwise provided for in this act"
But it will be observed that the salary
aw repealed that portion of the old
aw which entitled officers to retain
he fees collected, so that no compen-
'ation was, at the passage of the act,
provided by law" other than as sta :
ed in the salary law, which has no
DUPLICATION to this county. l
The territorial legislation bill. which
ongress passed at its last session. pro- ,
'lbits the passage of any local or spe-
'ai ilaw'creating.in increasing or decreas- '
NJ fees, percentages or allowances of !
'ublic officers during the time for which !
aid officers are elected or appointed" 7
his shuts off any relief which might =
e afforded the present incumbents \
'Om the legislature now in session. :, :,
he question then arises, and the anx- {,
'us ones are continually asking il, =.
IN these officers receive any compen- /,
ition? We are clearly of the opinion u
nat they can. +"
1t was evidently the intention of the n
gislature to allow Fergus county OIL =; y
RS their compensation under the fee V
W, and it might be that the courts 81
ould decide that the officers are enti- NJ n,
ed to receive compensation in accor- "a
lnce with that intent, notwithstand- :,
9 the repeating clause of the salary liz
W. BE that as it may, however, we ", W.
low OF no law preventing the county nj
from allowing and pay re- re-
bills for these salaries, as for other Ina
rvices rendered to the county. IL
At best the situation Father mixed. 2.
I'd reiiects no credit upon the legisla- an
re, and especially those who had the ns Ivy
'rg'is county bill i'm hand. But it is sci
eless now to lament the incapacity m.
ID carelessness of legislative body ,,;s,
Mt is dead. The thing needful now ma
to prevent "a recurrence of similar IN, ~
inders in the future. As
ha
Rul1iuna'e 0sAk~ A. W.